New Hampton

Putting Down Roots In New Hampton Iowa

December 1 – We are excited to announce we are moving forward with plans for a permanent facility for our New Hampton Campus.
We have purchased the former Saint Mary's Catholic Church at 251 S Linn Ave New Hampton, Iowa. The new facility will be a game changer that will help us impact and reach the next generation more effectively.
Scroll down to read more about the story and watch the virtual tour of our new building. We are begining renovations on the facility now. If you are interested in pledging financially, download
the pledge card for more information.

What is the current reality in New Hampton?

For three years we have paid for about six hours of access each week at the Chickasaw Event Center to set up and tear down on Sundays. This has been a great location to launch our campus, but the size has restricted our potential growth. We also lease office space, which accommodates mid-week ministry activities. Both of these spaces will be eliminated with the purchase of this facility, which will have adequate space for our growing needs. Not only are we growing more concerned in New Hampton about how we’re spending our time, we’re also growing more concerned about how we’re spending God’s money. If nothing changes, we’ll spend more money in five years for exactly the same access.

What options have we explored?

We talked with another church about sharing their facilities and toured a number of commercial properties. We leased office space to hold meetings and small groups during the week. So far, none of these options can adequately accommodate our growing ministry needs, and few other options exist.

Why is this the right time to buy and renovate?

The former St. Mary’s Catholic Church recently came on the market. Although the renovation costs will be significant, it is about half the cost of a new building of the same size.

What are the next steps?

The Congregation and the Board of Elders approved the purchase of the building and renovations have begun. The building has been paid for as well as the first steps in the renovation process. Additional funding is needed to finish the project.

How will we pay for this project?

We are targeting several sources. The New Hampton Campus currently has a surplus of contributions over expenses of $165,000. This will be sufficient to purchase the building and cover initial expenses in the planning stages of renovation. We intend to raise funding through pledges for a significant portion of the remaining costs and procure financing for the balance. Although future operating costs with a mortgage will be more than our current expenses, the Elder Board and Finance/Facilities Committee agree the increase is reasonable considering what we can accomplish in the future in New Hampton.

What is next, and do we have similar needs at other sites?

Yes. Our Elders are praying and deliberating about several potential projects. Although we are renting a new space in Grinnell, the facility isn’t large enough to accommodate our growing needs at that campus, so we continue to watch the situation there and remain open to new opportunities. At the beginning of 2017, we took ownership of the former Edgewood Community Church in Cedar Rapids and need to create a plan for renovating that facility.

What if I have more questions?

Contact Us

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